The Absolute Best Way to Clean a Bedroom, According to Pro Housekeeper Vanesa Amaro
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you reset your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox. Joining us today is guest cure-ator Vanesa Amaro, a housekeeper who’s cleaning videos took off during the pandemic. Her accounts have amassed 11 million followers in total. She is the official spokesperson for Clorox.
Blackout curtains, a comfortable mattress, and a sound machine are all excellent sleep aids, but one of the best ways to achieve a good night’s rest is having a clean room.
That’s right, studies have shown that if you want better sleep, what you really need is a cleaner bedroom, and to help us refresh this space so that we can all dream a little better tonight is guest cure-ator Vanesa Amaro, who’s known as the “Queen of Cleaning” on TikTok, and has her very own Cleaning E-Book.
Day 15: Clean the bedroom and treat yourself
First and foremost, get yourself a treat today or over the weekend, whether it’s flowers or a nice-smelling candle (perhaps something that’s perfect for the bedroom!). Then, let’s give the bedroom a clean. Set aside at least 30 minutes for the task, but feel free to stretch that time if you need to! Amaro shares how to best go about this.
Start by picking up everything off the floor — from dirty linens that need to go in the hamper to clean laundry you haven’t put away. Then, clean from top to bottom.
At the top, you can clean your fan, light fixtures, blinds, and curtains. Then head on to the bed. Many people forget to clean the headboard, shares Amaro, which can often collect dirt and dust, impacting your sleep, especially if you have allergies. Be sure to dust this, and then wash all your bedding and move onto the mattress.
Start cleaning your mattress by removing odor with baking soda (let it sit for some time), then vacuum, followed by a spot treatment spray. Amaro combines hydrogen peroxide, water, a few drops of clear dish detergent, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle (see her exact recipe here). She suggests using a relaxing essential oil like lavender or eucalyptus, as well as peppermint, which has disinfecting properties. Apply this mixture to any area that needs treatment, then clean with a soft brush or toothbrush and blot with a white cotton towel. Repeat as needed.
Then, clean the dresser, nightstands, mirrors, and TV — especially behind it. And that’s it! Amaro urges that you stick to cleaning and not decluttering. So many people get stuck on things found in their nightstands, she says, so it’s important to focus on the cleaning aspect and you can declutter another day. Just remove trash, wipe things down, and power through. If you have a trash can, take the time to clean it too. Take it to the bathtub or shower, wash it with dish soap, and let it dry outside. You can also use a disinfectant cleaner to get it clean instead.
At the very end, tend to your floor, rug, and all the “out of sight, out of mind,” spots, says Amaro. That means moving the nightstands and bed, if you can, to get under there, as well as the dresser.
AMARO’S PRO TIP: “I always recommend keeping a cleaner in your bedroom,” says Amaro. It makes cleaning easy and convenient. Find your favorite multi-surface cleaner and towel and keep them in your bedroom, whether that’s right on or by your nightstand or in an adjoining closet or bathroom.
Tell us how your cleaning session went today and what you got as your Friday treat in the comments below.
More ways to participate in the January Cure:
- Sign up for email updates or SMS alerts
- Visit the 2023 January Cure page and catch up on assignments
- Join the Apartment Therapy Cure Facebook group
- Download the January Cure calendar
- Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall January Cure progress here!
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.